Chip measurement system

ABSTRACT

In a measurement system according to the present invention, a management control device that measures a total value of chips bet on the game table using an image analysis result obtained by an image recording device is provided. Further, the chip as the gaming chip to be used in this system has a multilayer structure in which a plurality of plastic layers having different colors are laminated including at least a colored layer in the middle thereof, and a white layer or a light color layer (may be a layer having a lighter color than the colored layer although not illustrated) is laminated on both sides of the intermediate colored layer.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent ApplicationNo. 2016-196030 filed Sep. 12, 2016, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a measurement system of chips which aregaming chips in a game hall.

BACKGROUND

A technique of attaching a radio IC (RFID) tag to each of gaming chipsand grasping a value of the gaming chip has been proposed in order tograsp the number and the total value of gaming chips placed and bet on agame table.

In a card game monitoring system described in WO 2015/107902 A, whethergaming chips placed on a game table has been collected or redeemedaccording to a win or lose result is determined by performing imageanalysis of motion of the gaming chips, and monitoring of fraudulent actis performed.

In addition, a technique of attaching an IC tag to a chip of a gamingchip and grasping a value of the chip as the gaming chip has beenproposed in order to grasp the number and the total value of the chipsas the bet gaming chips in a game hall such as a casino.

Chips as gaming chips are stacked in bulk and placed on a game table,but there is a problem that it is difficult to accurately read the totalvalue because the chips overlap each other in the related art in whichan IC tag is mounted in each of the chips and the stacked chips is readby a reading device of the IC tag provided under the game table.Further, there is a problem that chips as gaming chips placed atdifferent positions (win or lose depends on positions) are collectivelymeasured if the sensitivity of the reading device is increased so thatit is difficult to grasp the total value of chips as gaming chips foreach position. In addition, there is a problem that a blind spot isformed depending on a viewing angle of a camera or it is difficult tograsp the total value of chips as gaming chips due to a shadow caused bythe overlap in imaging using the camera.

In a game hall such as a casino, chips as gaming chips are stacked inbulk and placed on a game table in a game hall such as a casino, butthere is a problem that it is difficult to accurately read the totalvalue with a reading device of an IC tag provided under the game table.Further, there is a problem that chips as gaming chips placed atdifferent positions (win or lose depends on positions) are collectivelymeasured if the sensitivity of the reading device is increased so thatit is difficult to grasp the total value of chips as gaming chips foreach position.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel system tomeasure the total value of stacked chips in a game in a game hall.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the above-described problem, a chip measurement systemaccording to the present invention includes: an image recording devicethat records states of chips to be measured, which are stacked with apredetermined thickness in a game played on a game table, as an imageusing a camera; a plurality of height measurement cameras that obtainimages of the stacked chips to be measured from different positions orangles; a chip number measuring device that obtains a height of thechips to be measured from each viewing angle toward the chips to bemeasured with respect to a horizontal or vertical direction, obtainedfrom the plurality of height measurement cameras, using the plurality ofheight measurement cameras and calculates and obtains a number of thechips to be measured; and a management control device that controls theimage recording device and the chip number measuring device.

Further, the chip measurement system may further include: a chip totalvalue measuring device that calculates and obtains a total value of thestacked chips to be measured from the number of the chips to be measuredobtained from the chip number measuring device; and a management controldevice that controls the chip total value measuring device in additionto the image recording device and the chip number measuring device.

The chip measurement system may further include a chip total valuemeasuring device that calculates and obtains a total value of thestacked chips to be measured by identifying a type of each of the chipsfrom an image analysis result of the image recording device.

In addition, this chip measurement system may be configured such thatthe management control device is capable of grasping a position, a type,and a number of chips to be measured bet by each player using the imagerecording device and grasping a total value of all the chips bet by therespective players. In addition, the chip measurement system may furtherinclude: a chip tray camera that obtains an image of a chip tray of adealer of the game table; and a chip measuring device that grasps atotal value of chips in the chip tray from the image obtained by thechip tray camera.

The present invention relates to the chip measurement system furtherincluding a win or lose result determination device that obtains a winor lose result of each game on the game table. It may be configured suchthat the management control device is capable of grasping a total valueof chips bet by a losing player in the game from a position, a type anda number of the chips bet by the losing player based on informationobtained by the win or lose result determination device.

Further, the management control device may grasp the total value of thechips to be measured in the chip tray of the dealer of the game table,add or subtract an increased or decreased value of chips to be measuredin the game, calculated based on the positions, types, and each numberof chips to be measured bet by all the players in the game and the winor lose result of the game obtained by the win or lose resultdetermination device to or from the total value of the chips to bemeasured in the chip tray as a measurement target before settlement ofeach game, compare a total value of chips to be measured that needs tobe present in the chip tray as the measurement target after settlementwhen ending the game with an actual total value of chips to be measuredin the chip tray as the measurement target when ending the game obtainedusing the image recording device, and determine whether or not there isa difference between the total value that needs to be present and theactual total value.

Further, the chip measurement system may be configured such that aplurality of the image recording devices are provided, and the chiptotal value measuring device calculates the total value of chips to bemeasured using images of the stacked chips to be measured which aretaken from different positions or angles of the respective imagerecording devices.

In addition, the chips to be measured in this chip measurement systemmay have a configuration in which a laminated structural body includinga plurality of plastic layers is configured by laminating at least acolored layer and a white layer or a light color layer and a stripepattern in a laminating direction is formed on a side face so as toenable a type of a gaming chip to be specified by the colored layer, andhave a layer structure obtained by forming a printed layer indicating atype of a gaming chip further on upper and lower faces of the laminatedstructural body and causing thermocompression bonding between therespective layers.

Further, in order to solve the above-described problem, a chipmeasurement system according to the present invention includes: an imagerecording device that records states of chips to be measured, which arestacked with a predetermined thickness in a game played on a game table,as an image using a camera; a plurality of height measurement camerasthat obtain images of the stacked chips to be measured from differentpositions or angles; a chip number measuring device that obtains aheight of the chips to be measured from each viewing angle toward thechips to be measured with respect to a horizontal or vertical direction,obtained from the plurality of height measurement cameras, using theplurality of height measurement cameras and calculates and obtains anumber of the chips to be measured; a chip total value measuring devicethat calculates and obtains a total value of the stacked chips to bemeasured based on the number of the chips to be measured obtained by thechip number measuring device and an image analysis result of the imagerecording device; and a management control device that controls theimage recording device, the chip number measuring device, and the chiptotal value measuring device. The chip to be measured has aconfiguration in which a laminated structural body including a pluralityof plastic layers is configured by laminating at least a colored layerand a white layer or a light color layer and a stripe pattern in alaminating direction is formed on a side face so as to enable a type ofa gaming chip to be specified by the colored layer, and has a layerstructure obtained by forming a printed layer indicating a type of agaming chip further on upper and lower faces of the laminated structuralbody and causing thermocompression bonding between the respectivelayers.

In addition, the chip to be measured may have a heavy layer containingmetal powder for weight increase in the layer as at least one layeramong the plurality of plastics layers. In addition, the chip to bemeasured may be configured such that a white layer or a light colorlayer is provided on both sides of the colored layer to be sandwichedtherebetween such that thicknesses of an upper layer and a lower layerof the white layer or the light color layer provided to sandwich thecolored layer are different from each other.

According to the measurement system of the present invention, it isunderstood whether or not collection and redemption of chips has beencorrectly performed according to a win or lose result of a game bymeasuring the number of chips placed in the stacked state andcalculating a total value of bet chips.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of theexemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the followingdetailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an overall outline of a measurement systemof chips as gaming chips according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of chips as gaming chips illustrating anexample of different overlapping states of the chips as the gaming chipsgrasped according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the chip as the gaming chipaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a view illustrating another example of the chip as the gamingchip according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a view illustrating another example of the chip as the gamingchip according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the chip as the gaming chip according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a state where the chips as the gamingchips are stacked up according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective explanatory photograph illustrating a statewhere different types of chips as gaming chips are stacked up;

FIG. 8A is a view illustrating details of a chip tray according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8B is a view illustrating another example of the chip trayaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a view illustrating a relationship between a chip tray havinga two-stage structure and a camera device and is the view illustrating astate where the two stages are stacked on each other;

FIG. 9B is a view illustrating a relationship between the chip trayhaving the two-stage structure and the camera device and is the viewillustrating a state where the two stages are shifted from each other;

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a method of measuring the number of chipsas gaming chips according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the method of measuring the number of thechips as the gaming chips according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the method of measuring the number of thechips as the gaming chips according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a method of measuring the number of chipsas gaming chips according to another embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION EMBODIMENTS

In a game hall such as a casino, chips as gaming chips are stacked inbulk and placed on a game table in a game hall such as a casino, butthere is a problem that it is difficult to accurately read the totalvalue with a reading device of an IC tag provided under the game table.Further, there is a problem that chips as gaming chips placed atdifferent positions (win or lose depends on positions) are collectivelymeasured if the sensitivity of the reading device is increased so thatit is difficult to grasp the total value of chips as gaming chips foreach position.

In addition, conventionally, a pattern of a chip 120 as a gaming chip iscomplicated as illustrated in FIG. 2, and there is a problem that it isdifficult to accurately grasp the number of stacked chips using a cameraif a large number of chips as gaming chips are stacked.

The chips 120 as the gaming chips are not only stacked to be aligned inthe vertical direction but also stacked to be shifted from each other asillustrated in FIG. 2. In this case, when the camera device 2 ispositioned in an arrow X direction illustrated in FIG. 2 (or theorientation of the chip 120 as the gaming chip becomes relatively ablind spot), it is assumed that the chip 120 as the gaming chip isinvisible (enters the blind spot).

In addition, a dealer needs to collect or redeem the chips 120 as thegaming chips placed on the game table according to a win or lose result.Even if it is attempted to determine this by performing image analysisof the chips 120 as the gaming chips, it is difficult to determinewhether or not the dealer has correctly redeemed the chips 120 as thegaming chips corresponding to the chips 120 as the gaming chips thathave been bet at the time of redemption with an existing practical imageanalysis technology because the pattern of the chip 120 as the gamingchip is complicated, and there is a problem that it is insufficient toprevent a mistake.

According to a system according to the present embodiment, it ispossible to determine the number of the chips 120 as the gaming chips byimage analysis even if a large number of the chips 120 as the gamingchips are stacked, and it is possible to grasp the total value of thechips 120 as the gaming chips that relatively overlap each other bypositions and colors.

Hereinafter, a chip measurement system in a table game in a game hallincluding a game table 4 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is aview illustrating an overall outline of the system, and the systemaccording to the present embodiment in the game hall including aplurality of the game tables 4 includes: a chip total value measuringdevice 302 including an image recording device 300 that records aprogress state of the game performed on the game table 4 in addition toa game participant 6 and a dealer 5, as an image using a plurality ofthe camera devices 2, and performs image analysis of the recorded imageof the progress state of the game; and a card distributing device 3 thatdetermines and displays a win or lose result of each game on the gametable 4. The card distributing device 3 is a so-called electronic shoe,which has been already known and used by those skilled in the art, andhas a structure in which a game rule is programmed in advance, and it ispossible to determine win or lose of a game by reading information (arank and a suit) of a card 1 to be distributed. In a baccarat game, forexample, bunker's win, player's win, or a tie is basically determined byeach rank of two to three cards, and a determination result (win or loseresult) is displayed using a display lamp 13.

A management control device 14 reads the information (rank and suit) ofthe card 1 obtained from the card distributing device 3 to determine thewin or lose result of each game, and determines a winner 6W and a loser6L among the participants 6 in each game using measurement results ofthe position, type, and number of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsplaced by the game participants 6. In addition, a calculation functionof performing balance calculation on the casino side in the game table 4(obtaining the value by subtracting the total value of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips redeemed to the winner 6W among the participants 6 fromthe total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips bet by the loser6L) for each game is further provided.

The image recording device 300, the chip total value measuring device302, and the management control device 14 in this measurement systemhave a structure including a computer, a program, and a memory, whichare integrated or have of a plurality of configurations, in a complexmanner.

Next, details of the chip as the gaming chip used for this measurementwill be described. FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view of the chips120 as the gaming chips used in this measurement system. A plurality ofplastic layers having different colors are laminated such that at leasta colored layer 121 is provided in the middle thereof, and a white layer122 or a light color layer (which may be a layer having a lighter colorthan the colored layer 121 although not illustrated) is laminated onboth sides of the intermediate colored layer 121, thereby forming amultilayer structure. In this manner, the multilayer structure is formedby providing the colored layer 121 and laminating the white layer 122 orthe light color layer (which may be a layer having a lighter color thanthe colored layer 121 although not illustrated) on both the sides of theintermediate colored layer 121 so as to form a stripe pattern in alaminating direction on a side face as illustrated in FIG. 6 so that itis possible to specify a type of the chip 120 as the gaming chip bychanging colors (red, green, yellow, blue, and the like) of the coloredlayer 121 depending on types (10 points, 20 points, 100 points, 1000points, and the like) of the chips 120 as the gaming chips.

The chip 120 as the gaming chip is formed as a structural body includingat least the colored layer 121 and the white layer 122 or the lightcolor layer in appearance so as to form the stripe pattern in an axialdirection on the side face and has a configuration capable of specifyingthe type of the chips 120 as the gaming chip through the colored layer121. FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate examples as different embodiments,respectively, in which the colored layer 121 and the white layer 122 orthe light color layer are formed by injection molding using so-calledtwo-color molding in which the colored layer 121 is first molded in amolding die (not illustrated), and then, the white layer 122 or thelight color layer is molded.

Further, a print 123 (100 points or the like) indicating the type of thechip 120 as the gaming chip is applied on surfaces (an upper surface anda lower surface) of the white layer 122 in the chip 120 as the gamingchip as illustrated in FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a transparentlayer 124 is provided at the outermost layer, and thermocompressionbonding is performed between the respective layers to form a structureincluding at least five layers. The chip 120 as the gaming chip isformed using an elongated plastic material by forming the state(five-layer structure or the like) in which the respective layers (thecolored layer 121, the white layer 122, and the transparent layer 124)are thermocompression-bonded and in close contact with each other in theelongated state, and then, punching the resultant in a circular shape, arectangular shape, or the like using a press or the like. An end of thetransparent layer 124 at the outermost layer is subjected to Rprocessing (to form a rounded corner) by designing dimensions of themolding die and a punch for punching at the time of performing punchingusing the press.

That is, when the chip 120 is manufactured as the gaming chip, thelaminated structural body including the plurality of plastic layers isformed by first laminating the colored layer 121 made of plate-likeplastic and the white layer 122 or the light color layer made ofplate-shaped plastic. Then, a pattern is printed on the upper surfaceand the lower surface of the laminated structural body, and thetransparent layer 124 is further provided thereon. Then, the respectivelayers of the laminated structural body and the transparent layer 124are thermocompression-bonded to thermally weld the respective layers,preparing a substitute currency original plate. The substitute currencyoriginal plate prepared in this manner is subjected to the punchingprocessing using the die to obtain the plurality of chips 120 as thegaming chips having a predetermined shape. At this punching processing,upper and lower corners at the outer side of the chip 120 as the gamingchip are subjected to the R processing with the die.

Further, a face code is provided on a surface of the white layer 122using a UV ink or a carbon black ink in the chip 120 as the gaming chip(see FIG. 5). This face code indicates the authenticity of the chip 120as the gaming chip, and is configured such that a mark is visible whenbeing shined with ultraviolet (or infrared) light to indicate theauthenticity using a combination of a shape and the number thereof. FIG.6 is a perspective view of a stacked state of the chips 120 as thegaming chips, and a combination of a long code FL and a short code FS isa face code F. The transparent layer (printed layer) 124 isthermocompression-bonded or coated (applied) on the outermost layer soas to cover the print 123 and the face code, and the transparent layer124 is subjected to emboss processing so as to prevent the chips 120 asthe gaming chips from being brought into close contact with each other.Incidentally, the description has been given with the example in whichthe face code is printed on the surface of the white layer 122 in thisembodiment, but any one of a security mark and an optical variabledevice (OVD), or the both may be printed instead of the face code ortogether with the face code.

The edge of the outermost transparent layer (printed layer) 124 to whichthe print 123 (100 points or the like) is applied is subjected to the Rprocessing (R) so as to prevent the surface of the white layer 122 frombeing deformed and appearing on the side surface in the punching step ofthe chip 120 as the gaming chip. In addition, the chip 120 as the gamingchip is prevented from damaging a hand or the other chip 120 as thegaming chip due to the remaining sharp edge.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the colored layer 121 may be formed of aplurality of colored layers (three layers in FIG. 3). Since theplurality of colored layers (three layers in FIG. 3) arethermocompression-bonded to each other, the three-layer structure is notvisually observable as illustrated in FIG. 3, and FIG. 3 illustrates thethree layers for the sake of description. Further, a partial hollow B isprovided in the middle layer among the three layers of the colored layer121, and an RFID 125 is incorporated therein.

Incidentally, the RFID 125 may be incorporated in the chip 120 as thegaming chip by arranging the RFID 125 between the colored layer 121having a flat surface and the white layer 122 having a flat surface andthermocompression-bonding the colored layer 121 and the white layer 122without providing the hollow B in the colored layer 121. When at leastany one of the colored layer 121 and the white layer 122 is configuredusing a thermally deformable material such as plastic, the plastic layerof the colored layer 121 and the white layer 122 sandwiching the RFID125 is thermally deformed by the thermocompression bonding, and thus,the RFID 125 is brought into close contact with these layers and fixedtherebetween without providing the hollow B.

FIG. 7 is a perspective explanatory photograph illustrating a statewhere different types of chips 120 as gaming chips are stacked up. Inthe drawing, the management control device 14 images the chips 120 asthe gaming chips placed on the game table 4 by the participant 6 of thegame using the camera device 2, and determines the types and the numberof the chips 120 as the gaming chips by measuring whether a chip is beton a banker, a player, a pair (PAIR), or a tie (TIE)) for each area 8where the chip is placed using the chip total value measuring device 302provided with the image recording device 300 and analyzing and measuringthe number and colors of the colored layer 121 (or the light colorlayer) or the white layer 122 of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsstacked in each area using the chip total value measuring device 302(using the information obtained by the image recording device 300). Themanagement control device 14 controls the camera device 2 such that theimaging by the camera device 2 is performed when a first card is drawnfrom the card distributing device, before or after the first card isdrawn, or after a sign indicating a betting end of the dealer.

The management control device 14 may be a control device having anartificial intelligence utilization type or a deep learning structure.The management control device 14 can grasp a position 8 (bettingposition among the player, the banker, and the pair), the type(different values of the value are assigned to the respective colors ofthe chips 120 as the gaming chips), and the number of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips bet by each of the participant 6 using the cameradevice 2 and the image recording device 300. In the artificialintelligence utilization type computer or control system, and the deeplearning (structure) technology, it is possible to grasp the position 8(betting position among the player, the banker, and the pair), the type(different values of the value are assigned to the respective colors ofthe chips 120 as the gaming chips), and the number of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips using a self-learning function and the like. Thus, themanagement control device 14 determines whether the collection(indicated by an arrow E) of the chips 120 as the gaming chips bet bythe losing participant 6L of each game and the redemption (payment(120W)) for the chips 120 as winning gaming chips to the winning gameparticipant 6W have been appropriately performed according to a win orlose result of the game by analyzing a video of a progress state of thegame using the image recording device 300 according to the win or loseresult of the game determined by the card distributing device 3 in eachgame.

In this case, the chip has the multilayer structure laminated asillustrated in FIG. 6 (as compared with the chip as the conventionalgaming chip illustrated in FIG. 2) and has the stripe pattern in thelaminated direction clearly formed on the side face, and thus, the chiptotal value measuring device 302 including the image recording device300 can easily and accurately perform the measurement of the type andthe number of the chips as the gaming chips. Further, the analysis anddetermination of the image can be more accurately performed using theartificial intelligence utilization type computer or control system andthe deep learning (structure) technology. Since the artificialintelligence utilization type computer or control system and the deeplearning (structure) technology have been already known and available tothose skilled in the art, the detailed description thereof will beomitted.

The management control device 14 can analyze and grasp the total valueof the chips 120 as the gaming chips in a chip tray 17 of the dealer 5of the game table 4 using the image recording device 300 and can performcomparative calculation on whether the total value of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips inside the chip tray 17 has increased or decreasedaccording to the win or lose result of the game based on the value ofthe collection of the chips 120 as the losing gaming chips bet by therespective game participants 6 and the payment 120W for the chips as thewinning gaming chips to the winning game participant 6W after the endand settlement of the game. Although the total amount of the chips 120as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 is constantly grasped using themeans such as the RFID, whether or not the increased or decreased amountis correct is determined by the management control device 14 analyzingthe video of the progress state of the game with the image recordingdevice 300. The artificial intelligence utilization type or the deeplearning structure may be utilized for the management control device 14.

The management control device 14 may have the artificial intelligenceutilization type or the deep learning structure that can grasp aposition (betting position among the player, the banker, and the pair)and the value (the type and the number) of the chips as the gaming chipsbet in the respective play positions 7 of the game table 4, compare winor lose history of each of the game participants 6 and the value(winning value) of the chips as the gaming chips, obtained using the winor lose result of each game, with statistical data of past multiplegames (big data), and extract a specific situation (set by the casino).Typically, the management control device 14 having the artificialintelligence utilization type or the deep learning structure that iscapable of extracting generation of a winning value exceeding a certainvalue (one million dollars) and a situation in which a state where thevalue of chips as gaming chips bet at the time of lose is small and thevalue of chips as gaming chips bet at the time of win continues forseveral games in the play position 7 of the certain game table 4 as theunique situation when being compared with the statistical data of pastgames (big data and the like).

The management control device 14 has the structure capable of thecomparative calculation on whether or not an increase or decrease ofchips as gaming chips corresponding to settlement is correct after thesettlement by settling the chips 120 as the gaming chips bet by therespective participants 6 after each game in the total value of thechips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 of the dealer 5 of thegame table 4.

It is possible to determine the type and the number of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips by the chip total value measuring device 302 analyzingand measuring the number and colors of the colored layer 121 or thewhite layer 122 of the chips 120 as the gaming chips laminated in thelateral direction (using the information obtained by the image recordingdevice 300) in the chip tray 17 for holding the chip 120 as the gamingchip of the dealer 5 illustrated in FIG. 1. In this manner, the totalvalue of the chips 120 as the gaming chips of the holding chip tray 17is constantly grasped (or at predetermined time intervals). Themanagement control device 14 has the function of calculating thesettlement value of each game for each game (balance calculation on thecasino side in the game table 4 (the value obtained by subtracting thetotal value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips redeemed to the winner6W among the participants 6 from the total value of the chips 120 as thegaming chips bet by the loser 6L) (see the above description), and thus,the total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips of the chip tray 17is constantly verified (or at predetermined time intervals). That is, itis verified whether or not the increase or decrease of chips as gamingchips matches the image analysis result by the image recording device300 and the settlement value of each game by the dealer 5.

FIG. 8A is a view illustrating details of the chip tray according to thepresent embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a view illustrating another exampleof the chip tray. The chip tray 17 is provided with a collection chiptray 171 to collect and temporarily store a chip 120L as a gaming chipbet by the losing player 6L and a redemption chip tray 172 to store achip 120W as a gaming chip for redemption. The image recording device300 and the management control device 14 grasp the positions, types andnumber of the chips 120L as the gaming chip bet by the losing player 6L,and calculates an increased value of the chips 120L as the gaming chipsin the game (the value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips that needsbe present in the collection chip tray 171). Further, the imagerecording device 300 and the management control device 14 grasp anactual total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray171 after collection, and determines whether or not there is adifference by comparing the total value that needs to be present andwith the actual total value.

Here, the chip tray 17 illustrated above has a two-stage structureincluding an upper chip tray 17 a and a lower chip tray 17 b. FIGS. 9Aand 9B are views illustrating a relationship between the two-stage chiptray 17 and the camera device 2, FIG. 9A illustrates a state where twostages are stacked on each other, and FIG. 9B illustrates a state wheretwo stages are shifted from each other. The lower chip tray 17 b islocated at the lower stage of the upper chip tray 17 a, and the both areconnected to each other by a hinge 18. The chips 120 as the gaming chipsare replenished from the lower chip tray 17 b to the upper chip tray 17a when the chips 120 as the gaming chips of the upper chip tray 17 a areinsufficient, and the chips 120 as the gaming chips are moved to thelower chip tray 17 b when the chips 120 as the gaming chips of the upperchip tray 17 a becomes excessive.

The upper chip tray 17 a is moved by the hinge 18 to the state of FIG.9B in order to take the chips 120 as the gaming chips in and out of thelower chip tray 17 b. The upper chip tray 17 a can be imaged by thecamera device 2 in the state of FIG. 9A, and the lower chip tray 17 bcan be imaged by the camera device 2 in the state of FIG. 9B. In thestate illustrated in FIG. 9B, the upper chip tray 17 a and the lowerchip tray 17 b can be imaged at the same time and in the state of beingdistinguishable from each other by the camera device 2 c. In addition,the upper chip tray 17 a and the lower chip tray 17 b may be capturedseparately in the state of FIG. 9B.

The management control device 14 can grasp which position (bettingposition among the player, the banker, and the pair) in the bet area 8at which the chips 120 as the gaming chips are bet by the respectiveplayers 6, the types (different values of the value are assigned to therespective colors of the chips 120 as the gaming chips) of the chips 120as the bet gaming chips, and the number thereof using the camera device2 and the image recording device 300. The chips 120 as the gaming chipsare not only stacked to be aligned in the vertical direction but alsostacked to be shifted from each other as illustrated in FIG. 2. In thiscase, when the camera device 2 is positioned in the arrow X directionillustrated in FIG. 2 (or when the orientation of the chip 120 as thegaming chip becomes relatively the blind spot), it is assumed that thechip 120 as the gaming chip is invisible (enters the blind spot).

In this manner, it is necessary to grasp which position (bettingposition among the player, the banker, and the pair) in the bet area 8at which the chips 120 as the gaming chips are bet, the types (differentvalues of the value are assigned to the respective colors of the chips120 as the gaming chips) of the chips 120 as the bet gaming chips, andthe number thereof.

Further, the management control device 14 determines whether or thecollection (indicated by the arrow E) of the chips 120 as the losinggaming chips bet by the respective participants 6 and the payment (120W)for the chips 120 as the winning gaming chips to the winning gameparticipant 6W have been appropriately performed according to the win orlose result of the game by analyzing the video of the progress state ofthe game using the image recording device 300 according to the win orlose result of the game determined by the card distributing device 3 ineach game. When a determination result analyzed by the managementcontrol device 14 using the image recording device 300 is different froma reading result (for example, a reading result using the RFID) usinganother means, the verification can be performed after saving theanalysis image.

The management control device 14 can analyze and grasp the total valueof the chips 120 as the gaming chips in a chip tray 17 of the dealer 5of the game table 4 using the image recording device 300 and can performcomparative calculation on whether the total value of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips inside the chip tray 17 has increased or decreasedaccording to the win or lose result of the game based on the value ofthe collection of the chips 120 as the losing gaming chips bet by therespective players 6 and the payment 120W for the chips as the winninggaming chips to the winning player 6W after the end and settlement ofthe game. Although the total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsin the chip tray 17 is constantly grasped using the means such as theRFID, whether or not the increased or decreased value is correct isdetermined by the management control device 14 analyzing the video ofthe progress state of the game with the image recording device 300.

In this example, the fraud and mistake are detected based on the win orlose result of the game, the information on which number and which typeof the chips 120 as the gaming chips are bet at which position (theplayer, the banker, or the pair) in the bet area 8, and the increased ordecreased amount of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray17 after the end of collection of chips as losing gaming chips andredemption for the chips 120 as winning gaming chips. Thus, it ispossible to detect the fraud and mistake without grasping movement ofthe chip 120 as the gaming chips after the game is over, that is,whether the bet chips 120 as the gaming chips have moved to the playerside or the dealer side.

Here, in the case of baccarat, for example, the win or lose result ofthe game can be determined according to rules of the baccarat by readinga rank of the card 1 fed out in the game in the card distributing device3. In addition, the win or lose result of the game can be determined bycapturing an image of the top of the game table 4 using the cameradevice 2, analyzing the image using the image recording device 300, andcomparing the analysis result with rules of the game using themanagement control device 14. In this case, a win or lose resultdetermination device of the present invention is configured by thecamera device 2, the image recording device 300, and the managementcontrol device 14.

The information on the players at the respective play positions 7 and onwhich number and which type of the chips 120 as the gaming chips are betat which position (the player, the banker, or the pair) in the bet area8 is obtained by capturing an image of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsplaced in the bet area 8 using the camera device 2 and analyzing theimage for each of the play positions 7 using the image recording device300. Details will be described later.

In addition, it is possible to calculate the increased or decreasedvalue of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 beforeand after performing the collection of the chips 120 as the losinggaming chips and the redemption of the chips 120 as the winning gamingchips by comparing the total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsin the chip tray 17 before performing the collection of the chips 120 asthe losing gaming chips and the redemption for the chips 120 as thewinning gaming chips with the total value of the chips 120 as the gamingchips in the chip tray 17 after performing the collection of the chips120 as the losing gaming chips and the redemption for the chips 120 asthe winning gaming chips. It is possible to detect each of the totalvalue of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 beforeperforming the collection of the chips 120 as the losing gaming chipsand the redemption for the chips 120 as the winning gaming chips and thetotal value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17after performing the collection of the chips 120 as the losing gamingchips and the redemption for the chips 120 as the winning gaming chipsby capturing an image of the chip tray 17 housing the chips 120 as thegaming chips using the camera device 2, and analyze the image using theimage recording device 300. In addition, the total value of the chips120 as the gaming chips housed in the chip tray 17 may be detected byembedding the RFID indicating the value in the chip 120 as the gamingchip and providing the RFID reader in the chip tray 17.

For example, the total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in thechip tray 17 before start of a game is assumed as Bb, and the totalvalue of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 after endof collection of chips as losing gaming chips and redemption for chipsas winning gaming chips after the game is over is assumed as Ba. Inaddition, in this game, the total value of the chips 120 as the gamingchips of all the play positions 7 bet in a player area is assumed as bp,the total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips of all the playpositions 7 bet in a bunker area is assumed as bb, and the total valueof the chips 120 as the gaming chips of all the play positions 7 bet ina tie area is assumed as bt. For example, when the win or lose result ofthis game is win of the banker, it should be established thatBa−Bb=bp−bb+bt. Alternatively, the total value Ba of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips in the chip tray 17 after end of the game should be(Bb+bp−bb+bt). If not, it is possible to determine that there is a fraudor mistake in the collection or redemption of the chip as the gamingchip.

As described above, the management control device 14 calculates thebalance of the chips as the gaming chips from the value of the chips asthe gaming chip bet on the game table 4 for each game and the win orlose result of the game, and verifies the increase in the balance of thechips as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 after the game in thepresent embodiment. When the difference is detected in thisverification, the management control device 14 issues an alarm or adds arecord indicating the difference to a record of the video captured bythe camera device 2. A casino operator can pursue a cause of thedifference by confirming the video.

The measurement system according to the present embodiment adds orsubtracts the increased or decreased value of the chips as the gamingchips in each game, calculated based on the positions, types, and numberof the chips 120 as the gaming chips bet by all the players 6 in thegame and the win or lose result of the game obtained by the win or loseresult determination device to or from the total value of the chips 120as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 before the settlement of thegame, compares the total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips thatneeds to be present in the chip tray after the settlement when endingthe game with the actual total value of the chips 120 as the gamingchips in the chip tray 17 when ending the game obtained using the imagerecording device 300, and determines whether or not there is adifference between the total value that needs to be present and theactual total value.

The management control device 14 grasps the positions, types and numberof the chips as the gaming chips bet by the respective players via theimage recording device 300, grasps the actual total value of the chipsas the gaming chips in the chip tray at when the collection of all thechips as the losing gaming chips bet by the respective players has beencompleted, compares the total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsthat needs to be present in the chip tray 17, obtained by adding theincrease of the chip tray 17 in each game to the total value of chips asthe gaming chips in the chip tray before the settlement of the gamebased on the position, type, and number of the chips as the gaming chipsbet by the losing player, with the actual total value of the chips 120as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17, and determines whether or notthere is a difference between the total value that needs to be presentand the actual total value.

The management control device 14 compares the total value of the chips120 as the gaming chips that needs to be present in the chip tray 17,obtained by adding the increase of the chip tray 17 in each game to thetotal value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17before the settlement of the game based on the position, type, andnumber of the chips 120 as the gaming chips bet by the losing player,with the actual total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chips in thechip tray 17, determines whether or not there is a difference betweenthe total value that needs to be present and the actual total value,compares the total value that needs to be present in the chip tray 17after the settlement when ending the game with the actual total value ofthe chips 120 as the gaming chips in the chip tray 17 when ending thegame obtained using the image recording device 300, determines thatthere is a mistake in payment when it is determined that there is adifference between the total value that needs to be present and theactual total value, and generates a payment error signal fornotification of the mistake in payment.

The chip tray 17 is provided with the collection chip tray 171 tocollect and temporarily store the chips 120 as the gaming chips bet bythe losing player, and the image recording device 300 compares the totalvalue of the chips 120 as the gaming chips that needs to be present inthe collection chip tray 171 added with the increase of the chips 120 asthe gaming chips in the game, calculated based on the position, type andnumber of the chips 120L as the gaming chips as bet by the losingplayer, with the actual total value of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsin the collection chip tray 171, and determines whether or not there isa difference between the total value that needs to be present and theactual total value.

When the management control device 14 determines that there is adifference because the actual total value of the chips 120 as the gamingchips grasped on the chip tray 17 of the dealer 5 of the game table 4does not correspond to the increased or decreased value of the chips asthe gaming chips, calculated based on the value of chips as the gamingchips bet by all the players and the win or lose result of the game, theimage recording device 300 can assign an index or time to the acquiredvideo or specify and replay a collection scene or a payment scene of thechip 120 as the gaming chips such that a record of the game where theabove-described difference has occurred can be analyzed by the imagerecording device 300.

In this manner, the management control device 14 obtains the total valueof the chips as the gaming chips (chips) in the chip tray 17 after thesettlement at the end of the game using the image recording device 300,and is assumed to perform the determination after the settlement in thiscase when any one of the following 1) to 4) occurs.

-   -   1) When the redemption for the chip (winning chip) 120 as the        winning gaming chip has been completed;    -   2) When the cards 1 used in the game are collected and discarded        in a discard area or a discard slot of the table;    -   3) When a predetermined button accompanying the win or lose        result determination device is pushed; and    -   4) When a marker (not illustrated) indicating win or loss        returns to the original state.

In the above-described measurement system, the management control device14 performs imaging of the position, type and number of the chips as thegaming chip placed by the game participant in each game, and thisimaging is performed when any one of the following 1) to 3) is detected.

-   -   1) When the card distributing device detects that a first card        is drawn;    -   2) Before and after such draw; and    -   3) After the management control device recognizes a sign of        dealer's betting end.

In addition, the management control device 14 has the artificialintelligence utilization type or the deep learning structure that cangrasp a position (betting position among the player, the banker, and thepair) and the amount (the type and the number) of the chips as thegaming chips bet in the respective play positions 7 of the game table 4,compare win or lose history of each of the players 6 and the amount(winning amount) of the chips as the gaming chips, obtained using thewin or lose result of each game, with statistical data of past multiplegames (big data), and extract a unique situation (set by the casino).Typically, the management control device 14 having the artificialintelligence utilization type or the deep learning structure that iscapable of extracting generation of a winning value exceeding a certainvalue (one million dollars) and the situation in which the state wherethe value of chips as gaming chips bet at the time of lose is small andthe value of chips as gaming chips bet at the time of win that continuesfor several games in the play position 7 of the certain game table 4 asthe unique situation when being compared with the statistical data ofpast games (big data and the like).

Further, the management control device 14 (integrated with the imagerecording device 300) of the present measurement system has thestructure capable of extracting the unique situation or specifying theindividual players 6 in the play position 7 who has won a predeterminedvalue or more. For such specifying of the player 6, an image of a faceis obtained by feature point extraction or the like using the imagerecording device 300, and the player 6 is specified by attaching anidentity number (ID or the like). Further, the management control device14 has a warning function of notifying the presence of the specifiedplayer in another game table when the specified player 6 leaves theoriginal game table and arrives at the other game table. Specifically, apit manager managing each of the game tables 4 and a person in charge ofeach table (which may be a dealer) are notified so as to prevent furtherunique phenomena.

Incidentally, win or lose history for each of the play positions 7 andthe obtained value (winning value) of chips as gaming chips may bemonitored without specifying the individual players 6 in theabove-described example. In this case, it is difficult to track each ofthe players 6 when the player 6 leaves the seat, but it is possible todetect the unique situation such as a situation in which a state wherethe value of chips as gaming chips bet when losing at the specific playposition 7 in the single game table 4 is small and the value of chips asgaming chips bet when winning is large continues for several games.Further, when the above-described play position 7 is detected, it isdoubted that there is a fraud or mistake in the play position 7.Further, it is possible to discover the fraud or mistake by verifyingthe video capturing the play position 7.

Specifically, the camera device 2 is installed so as to capture at leastthe chip 120 as the gaming chip placed in the bet area 8 of the gametable 4. The image recording device 300 analyzes the image captured bythe camera device 2 and detects which position among the player, thebanker and the tie in the bet area 8 at which the chips as the gamingchips are placed for each of the play positions 7 and the value of theplaced chips as the gaming chips. In addition, the card distributingdevice 3 also functions as the win or lose result determination deviceand determines the win or lose result of the game. The managementcontrol device 14 records (monitors) the win or lose history for each ofthe play positions 7 and the value of chips as gaming chips (the valueof earned chips as gaming chips) based on the position (the player, thebanker, or the tie) in the bet area 8 where the chips 120 as the gamingchips are placed and the win or lose result of the game. Incidentally,only one of the win or lose history and the value of earned chips asgaming chips may be recorded. When the win or lose history and/orhistory of the value of earned chips as gaming chips shows a uniquesituation (set by the casino) when being compared with the statisticaldata of the past multiple games (big data), the management controldevice 14 specifies this play position 7 as a play position suspected ofa fraudulent behavior.

When a certain play position 7 is suspected of the fraudulent behavior,a fraud detection system may generate an alarm (light, sound, orvibration) such that at least the dealer can perceive the fraud at thispoint in time. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the continuationof the fraudulent behavior by at least suspending the subsequent gameson the spot. In addition, information indicating that the fraudulentbehavior has been suspected may be added to the video captured andrecorded by the camera device 2. Accordingly, it is possible toinvestigate a cause of suspicion of the fraudulent behavior byconfirming the video.

As described above, the chip 120 as the gaming chip according to thepresent embodiment has the laminated structure including the pluralityof plastic layers in which the colored layer 121 and the white layers122 or the light color layers sandwiching the colored layer 121 arelaminated, and accordingly, the stripe pattern is formed in thelaminated direction on the side face. The chip 120 as the gaming chiphas the configuration in which the type of the chip 120 as the gamingchip can be specified by the colored layer 121 appearing on the sideface. In addition, the printing is applied to the upper and lowersurfaces of the chip 120 as the gaming chip. Specifically, the printingis applied to the surface of the white layer 122 or the light colorlayer, and the transparent layer 124 is provided on the top surfacethereof. The colored layer 121, the white layer 122 or the light colorlayer, and the printed layer 124 have the layered structure obtained bythermocompression bonding between the respective layers.

The white layers 122 or the light color layers sandwiching the coloredlayer 121 may be configured to have the different thicknesses betweenthe upper and lower layers. In addition, the outer edges of the upperand lower surfaces of the chip 120 as the gaming chip are subjected tothe R processing in the present embodiment. Accordingly, it is possibleto prevent the damage of the hand of the player handling the chip 120 asthe gaming chip or the damage of the chip 120 as another gaming chip. Inaddition, the RFID 125 is brought into close contact and fixed betweenthe plastic layers forming any of the colored layer 121, the white layer122 or the light color layers in the present embodiment.

In addition, the face code using a UV light-emitting ink or an infraredabsorbing ink such as an ink absorbing an infrared ray (carbon blackink) is provided on the upper surface and/or the lower surface of thechip 120 as the gaming chip in the present embodiment. In addition, as amodified example of the present embodiment, any one of the security markand the optical variable device (OVD), or the both may be printed on thesurface of the chip 120 as the gaming chip instead of the face code ortogether with the face code.

The management control device 14 according to the present embodimentperforms the imaging for determination of the position, type, and numberof chips as gaming chips placed by the game participant in each gamewhen the first card is drawn from the card distributing device 3, beforeor after such draw, or after the sign of dealer's betting end.

In addition, the measurement system according to the present embodimentincludes the card distributing device 3 which determines and displaysthe win or lose result of each game on the game table 4, the cameradevice 2 which images the chip 120 as the gaming chip placed on the gametable 4, and the management control device 14 which specifies and storesthe position, type, and number of chips as gaming chips placed on thegame table 4 by the game participant 6 using the imaging result of thecamera device 2. The chip 120 as the gaming chip is the laminatedstructural body in which the colored layer 121 and the white layer 122or the light color layer are laminated, and has the stripe pattern inthe laminating direction on the side face. The management control device14 has the calculation function of performing the balance calculation onthe casino side in the game table 4 for each game based on the win orlose result obtained from the card distributing device 3 and theposition, type, and number of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsspecified using the imaging result of the camera device 2.

The management control device 14 has the function of measuring thenumber of the colored layers 121, or the white layers 122 or the lightcolor layers of the chips 120 as the gaming chips placed by each of thegame participants 6 and determining the type and value of chips as thegaming chips according to the color of the colored layer 121 todetermine the number of the chips 120 as the gaming chips.

As described above, the chips 120 as the gaming chips are not onlystacked to be aligned in the vertical direction but also stacked to beshifted from each other as illustrated in FIG. 2. In this case, when thecamera device 2 is positioned in the arrow X direction illustrated inFIG. 2 (or when the orientation of the chip 120 as the gaming chipbecomes relatively the blind spot), it is assumed that the chip 120 asthe gaming chip is invisible (enters the blind spot). The information onthe players at the respective play positions 7 and on which number andwhich type of the chips 120 as the gaming chips are bet at whichposition (the player, the banker, or the pair) in the bet area 8 isobtained by capturing the image of the chips 120 as the gaming chipsplaced in the bet area 8 using the camera device 2 and analyzing theimage for each of the play positions 7 using the image recording device300. However, an extremely sophisticated and expensive image analysisdevice is required due to the problem such as the blind spot if suchimaging is performed only using the camera device 2. The presentembodiment has a special configuration in order to solve this problem.Details will be described below.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, the measurement system according to the presentembodiment further includes height measurement cameras 2R and 2L, whichare arranged at predetermined height positions from the game table 4 andcapture the chip 120 as the gaming chip from different positions orangles, in addition to the camera device 2 which captures the chip 120as the gaming chip. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the heightmeasurement cameras 2R and 2L and the chip 120 as the gaming chip areplaced on the same plane perpendicular to the game table 4. A relationalexpression among an angle α formed between the game table 4 and astraight line connecting the height measurement camera 2R and a center Cof the chip 120 as the uppermost gaming chip, an angle β formed betweenthe game table 4 and a straight line connecting the height measurementcamera 2L and the center C of the uppermost gaming chip 120, a distanceL between an intersection point KR between the game table 4 and thestraight line connecting the height measurement camera 2R and the centerC of the uppermost gaming chip 120 and an intersection point KL betweenthe game table 4 and the straight line connecting the height measurementcamera 2L and the center C of the uppermost gaming chip 120, and aheight H of the chips 120 as the overlapping gaming chips is expressedby the following Formula.

$\begin{matrix}{L = {\frac{H}{\tan\;\alpha} + \frac{H}{\tan\;\beta}}} & {{Formula}\mspace{14mu}(1)}\end{matrix}$

Here, the distance L, and the angles α and β are obtained by thefollowing method. The intersection points KR and KL are positionsobtained by projecting the center C of the chip 120 as the uppermostgaming chip onto the game table 4 from the angle of view of the heightmeasurement cameras 2R and 2L. Accordingly, the intersection points KRand KL are obtained by obtaining a center of a contour of the chip 120as the uppermost gaming chip in images captured by the heightmeasurement cameras 2R and 2L through image processing. Further, thedistance L (L1 or L2 illustrated in FIG. 10 or 11) between theintersection points KR and KL is obtained by obtaining an image obtainedby looking down the game table 4 from directly above through imageprocessing on the images captured by the height measurement cameras 2Rand 2L. Further, it is possible to obtain the angles α and β if thepositions of the intersection points KR and KL are understood since theheight of the height measurement cameras 2R and 2L from the table isconstant. As above, the height H of the chips 120 as the overlappinggaming chips can be obtained by Formula (2) obtained by modifyingFormula (1) using the distance L and the angles α and β obtained asdescribed above.

$\begin{matrix}{H = {\frac{\tan\;{\alpha \times \tan}\;\beta}{\left( {{\tan\;\alpha} + {\tan\;\beta}} \right)}L}} & {{Formula}\mspace{14mu}(2)}\end{matrix}$

Although it is assumed that the height measurement cameras 2R and 2L andthe chip 120 as the gaming chip are present on the same planeperpendicular to the game table 4 in order for simplicity of descriptionhereinabove, it is possible to perform the calculation in the samemanner in FIG. 12 even when the height measurement cameras 2R and 2L andthe chip 120 as the gaming chip are not present on the same planeperpendicular to the game table 4. When an intersection point between atable surface and a perpendicular line from the center C to the tablesurface is O, an angle formed between a straight line connecting theintersection points O and KR and a straight line connecting theintersection points KR and KL is γ, and an angle formed between astraight line connecting the intersection points O and KL and thestraight line connecting intersection points KR and KL is δ, thecalculation can be expressed by Formula (2)′ although the detailsthereof is omitted.

$\begin{matrix}{H = {\frac{\tan\;{\alpha tan}\;\beta}{{\tan\;{\alpha cos}\;\delta} + {\tan\;{\beta cos\gamma}}}L}} & {{Formula}\mspace{14mu}(2)^{\prime}}\end{matrix}$

The number of chips 120 as the gaming chips having a predeterminedthickness t can be obtained by H/t by obtaining the height H of thechips 120 as the overlapping gaming chips using the above-describedmethod. The image recording device 300 can more easily and correctlyobtain types of chips and the number of chips for each type using theinformation on the number of the chips 120 as the gaming chips, and thechip total value measuring device 302 obtains the total value of thechips 120 as the gaming chips. As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, L1 andL2 and angles α and β are changed in accordance with heights H1 and H2,and thus, the respective heights H1 and H2 are obtained by Formula (2)for the chips 120 as the gaming chips at the same position. In addition,the height measurement cameras 2R and 2L may also have the function ofthe camera device 2 to capture the chip 120 as the gaming chip.

FIG. 13 is a view of the measurement system according to the presentembodiment in roulette. Chips 220 as gaming chips are stacked and placedon a game table 201. Even in this case, it is possible to obtain thedistance L between the intersection point KR between the game table 201and the straight line connecting the height measurement camera 2R andthe center C of an uppermost gaming chip 220 and the intersection pointKL between the game table 201 and the straight line connecting theheight measurement camera 2L and the center C of the uppermost gamingchip 220 using the height measurement cameras 2R and 2L, and to obtainthe height H of the chips 220 as the gaming chips using theabove-described method. The number of the chips 220 as the gaming chipsis obtained based on the height H and the thickness t of the chip 220 asthe gaming chip. In the roulette, the chips 220 as one type of gamingchips whose color is different for each player are used. Therefore, itis possible to obtain the total value of the chips 220 as the gamingchips based on only the number of the chips 220 as the gaming chipsobtained by the height measurement cameras 2R and 2L and a chip numbermeasuring device 301, and to distinguish the player 6 who has bet basedon the color of the chip 220 as the uppermost gaming chip.

Incidentally, the management control device 14 or the like may have theartificial intelligence utilization type or the deep learning structurein the measurement system according to the present embodiment, anddevices having an artificial intelligence utilization type or the deeplearning structure are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,361,577, US2016-171336 A, US 2015-036920 A, JP 2016-110232 A, and these disclosuresare incorporated into this specification by reference.

Although the various embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed as above, it is a matter of course that the above-describedembodiments can be modified by those skilled in the art within a scopeof the present invention, and the device according to the embodiment maybe appropriately modified if needed in a game to which the embodiment isapplied.

What is claimed is:
 1. A chip measurement system for chips on a gametable in a game hall, the chip measurement system comprising: aplurality of height measurement cameras that each obtains, fromdifferent positions or angles than one another, a respective image ofchips stacked as a chip stack during a game played on the game table;and a management control device, wherein: the management control deviceis configured to, based on a combination of the images, obtain (a) aheight of the chip stack and (b) a number of the chips in the chipstack; and the obtainment of the height of the chip stack based on thecombination of the images includes: for each of the respective images:applying image recognition to the respective image to identify arespective representation of the chips in the respective image;determining a specific point in the identified respective representationof the chips in the respective image, the specific point being a samespecific point of a same specific one of the chips that is identified inall of the respective images; and determining information regarding thespecific point with respect to a viewing direction from a perspective ofthe respective height measurement camera by which the respective imagewas obtained; and obtaining the height of the chip stack based on acombination of the information regarding the specific point in therespective viewing directions determined for all of the images obtainedby the plurality of height measurement cameras.
 2. The chip measurementsystem according to claim 1, wherein the management control deviceincludes or controls a chip total value measuring device that calculatesand obtains a total value of the stacked chips from the obtained numberof the chips.
 3. The chip measurement system according to claim 1,wherein the management control device includes or controls a chip totalvalue measuring device that calculates and obtains a total value of thestacked chips based on the obtained number of the chips and a type ofeach of the chips identified from an image analysis of the obtainedimages.
 4. The chip measurement system according to claim 1, wherein themanagement control device has a configuration capable of determiningrespective positions, types, and numbers of chips respectively bet byeach of a plurality of players based on the obtained images and graspingrespective total values of all the chips respectively bet by each of theplayers.
 5. The chip measurement system according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a chip tray camera that obtains an image of a chip tray of adealer of the game table; and a chip measuring device that grasps atotal value of chips in the chip tray from the image obtained by thechip tray camera.
 6. The chip measurement system according to claim 1,further comprising: a win or lose result determination device thatobtains a win or lose result of each game on the game table, wherein themanagement control device has a configuration capable of grasping atotal value of chips bet by a losing player in the game from a position,a type and a number of the chips bet by the losing player based oninformation obtained by the win or lose result determination device. 7.The chip measurement system according to any claim 1, wherein themanagement control device grasps a total value of chips to be measuredin a chip tray of a dealer of the game table, adds or subtracts anincreased or decreased value of chips to be measured in the game,calculated based on positions, types, and numbers of chips to bemeasured bet by all of a plurality of players in the game and a win orlose result of the game obtained by a win or lose result determinationdevice, to or from the total value of the chips to be measured in thechip tray as a measurement target before settlement of the game,compares a total value of chips to be measured that needs to be presentin the chip tray as the measurement target after settlement when endingthe game with an actual total value of chips to be measured in the chiptray as the measurement target when ending the game obtained usingimages from the cameras, and determines whether or not there is adifference between the total value that needs to be present and theactual total value.
 8. The chip measurement system according to claim 1,wherein the management control device includes or controls a chip totalvalue measuring device that calculates a total value of the stackedchips using the images, which are taken from the different positions orangles of the respective cameras.
 9. The chip measurement systemaccording to claim 1, wherein: each of one or more of the chips of thechip stack includes a laminated structural body including a plurality ofplastic layers; the plurality of plastic layers includes at least acolored layer and a white or light color layer with a stripe pattern, ina laminating direction, on a side face so as to enable a type of agaming chip to be specified by the colored layer; the laminatedstructural body includes, on upper and lower faces thereof, printedlayers indicating a type of the chip; and the layers of the laminatedstructural body are laminated and thermocompression bonded together. 10.The chip measurement system according to claim 1, wherein: themanagement control device is configured to obtain a total value of thestacked chips based on the obtained number of the chips and an imageanalysis of the obtained images by which layer information of alaminated structural body of respective ones of the chips of the chipstack is identified; the laminated structural body includes a pluralityof plastic layers; the plurality of plastic layers include at least acolored layer and a white or light color layer laminated on each other,thereby forming a stripe pattern of stripes that extend horizontally ona side face so as to enable a type of a gaming chip to be specified bythe colored layer; the side face is between upper and lower faces of thelaminated structural body at which upper and lower faces there arerespective printed layers indicating a type of the chip; and the layersof the laminated structural body are thermocompression bonded together.11. The chip measurement system according to claim 10, wherein at leastone of the plurality of plastics layers is a heavy layer containingmetal powder for weight increase in the layer.
 12. The chip measurementsystem according to claim 10, wherein the white or light color layer isprovided with different respective thicknesses on both sides of thecolored layer, thereby sandwiching the colored layer.
 13. The chipmeasurement system according to claim 1, wherein the specific point is apoint of a top one of the chips in the representation of the chip stackwithin the respective image.
 14. The chip measurement system accordingto claim 1, wherein each of the specific point is a center of a top oneof the chips in the representation of the chip stack within therespective image.
 15. The chip measurement system according to claim 14,wherein the management control device is configured to perform theobtainment of the height by determining, for each of the heightmeasurement cameras: an angle formed between (a) a line that extendsfrom the respective height measurement camera through the center of therepresentation of the top one of the chips of the chip stack in therespective image to a top surface of the game table and (b) the topsurface of the game table; and a position at which the line meets thetop surface of the game table.
 16. The chip measurement system accordingto claim 1, wherein the plurality of height measurement cameras arepositioned such that the respective directions of the plurality ofheight measurement cameras to their respective focal points aresubstantially oblique relative to the game table and relative to thestack direction of the chip stack stacked on the table.
 17. The chipmanagement system according to claim 1, wherein the management controldevice includes or controls an image recording device for recordingstates of the chips using the images obtained by the plurality of heightmeasurement cameras and includes or controls a chip number measuringdevice for the obtaining of the height of the chip stack and the numberof chips in the chip stack.
 18. The chip measurement system according toclaim 14, wherein the center is a radial center of the top one of thechips in the representation of the chip stack within the respectiveimage.
 19. The chip measurement system according to claim 1, wherein theobtainment of the height of the chip stack is performed by identifying,for each of the respective images, a respective relationship between thespecific point determined for the respective image and a top surface ofthe game table on which the chips are stacked.
 20. The chip measurementsystem according to claim 19, wherein the respective relationshipincludes: an angle between (a) the top surface of the game table and (b)a respective viewing line of the respective height measurement camerathat extends from the respective height measurement camera from whichthe respective image was obtained, through the specific point, to thetop surface of the game table; and an intersect position at which theviewing line intersects the top surface of the game table.
 21. The chipmeasurement system according to claim 20, wherein the respectiverelationship further includes an angle between (a) a line that extends,in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the game table, fromthe specific point to the top surface of the game table and (b) a linethat extends from the intersect position to an intersect position atwhich the respective viewing line of another of the height measurementcameras intersects the top surface of the game table.
 22. The chipmeasurement system according to claim 21, wherein: the managementcontrol device is configured to determine the height by determining avalue of$\frac{(L)\left( {\tan\;\alpha} \right)\left( {\tan\;\beta} \right)}{\left( {\left( {\tan\;\alpha} \right)\left( {\cos\;\delta} \right)} \right) + \left( {\left( {\tan\;\beta} \right)\left( {\cos\;\gamma} \right)} \right)};$α is the angle between (a) the top surface of the game table and (b) therespective viewing line of a first one of the respective heightmeasurement cameras; β is the angle between (a) the top surface of thegame table and (b) the respective viewing line of a second one of therespective height measurement cameras; γ is the angle between (a) theline that extends, in the direction perpendicular to the top surface ofthe game table, from the respective specific point of the image of thefirst height measurement camera to the top surface of the game table and(b) the line that extends from the intersect position at which therespective viewing line of the first height measurement cameraintersects the top surface of the game table to the intersect positionat which the respective viewing line of the second height measurementcamera intersects the top surface of the game table; δ the angle between(a) the line that extends, in the direction perpendicular to the topsurface of the game table, from the respective specific point of theimage of the second height measurement camera to the top surface of thegame table and (b) the line that extends from the intersect position atwhich the respective viewing line of the second height measurementcamera intersects the top surface of the game table to the intersectposition at which the respective viewing line of the first heightmeasurement camera intersects the top surface of the game table; and Lis a distance between the intersect positions.